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Real stars at Festival’s fashion shows

They said she didn’t have a model’s body. They claimed she was too young, scrawny, and inexperienced.

She did not strut the catwalk that year. “But the next year she came back and blossomed at the show,” said Festival of Trees fashion show co-producer, Chrissy Wortman.

Now Danielle Lindquist, that once unsure 13-year-old girl who grew up in Coeur d’Alene, is a beautiful woman working as a full-time model in Los Angeles.

“She’s going to be in the show this year, too,” said Wortman. “This show prepared Danielle for her career. She was determined to be a model and made all of the right choices. She’s done a great job. That’s the fun part about the show.”

Around 90 other models, both professional and amateur, will join Lindquist on Monday, November 26 at the Coeur d’Alene Resort for two fashion shows following the Festival of Trees. The first show, sponsored by Frontier Communications, will begin at 11 a.m., and the second sponsored by Thorco, Inc., at 5 p.m. The production of both shows is sponsored by Silverwood Theme Park.

The shows exhibit local talent and fashion at the peak of the holiday season. At least 25 Northern Idaho boutiques and clothing stores will show off their corner of the fashion world. “We’re crazy about fashion and trends,” said Wortman.

Geared toward the Northwest, the annual fashion shows attract around 500 spectators. “The holiday season is coming up, so it’s a really fun time to do a fashion show. We make it very stylish and warm,” says Wortman.

On the eve of the fashion shows, Wortman and her crew set up the dressing rooms and organize the models’ 217 outfits. That morning, the models start showing up to try on their outfits for one last fitting. Then they’re off to hair and makeup. “By 10:30 a.m., all of the models are lining up to get ready for the big show,” said Wortman.

“The audience loves it. They never know what to expect because we always throw in something new,” said Wortman. One year, they had a country-themed number. Another number was all Austin Powers. This year, they’re planning on line dancing with a little surprise in the middle of the performance.

“There’s a real buzz at the show,” said Wortman. “The audience sees girls from all of the local stores in one swoop. They get a meal and a show. And good fun is had by all.”